Category Archives: Role Playing Games

For the briefest of moments, I thought I would be a game master, a newbie game master, but a game master none the less. Sadly, I realize that this really was not to be.

For those who do not know, a game master (GM) is the person who runs a role playing game (RPG). Most people are probably more familiar with it being called dungeon master. But, given the nature of the RPGs that I was looking to run (READ: no dungeons), game master felt more appropriate than dungeon master.

Now, the RPG I was looking to run was Fantasy Flight’s End of the World RPG. The series has the players assume roles as themselves facing apocalyptic situations. I participated in one as a player at Connecticon (mentioned in a previous post), and looked to try my hand at running my own game. In a short time, I managed to write not one, but four different scenarios (two suggested by the first book of the End of the World series, the third from the second book, and the last one using the rules).

I managed to run one of these adventures. I had posted it on the Meetup group that I belonged to and had gotten four people to sign up to participate. That seems great until I got to game day and only two of the four people showed up. I ran the scenario with just the two people.

Undeterred, I planned on another gaming session, this time planning on using the Fiasco system, which is more open ended and does not require a GM. Unfortunately, I ended up having to cancel this meetup due to low interest.

On the day I was to run that game, I posted another event, this time scheduled to be run two weeks later. That would have been this upcoming Sunday. Once more, I had to cancel this event, again due to low interest. The one person who did sign up was reluctant to participate due to the low turn out.

Looking over this track record, I wonder if I am really made out to be a GM. At least, I wonder if I’m really made out to promote events, especially ones that I set up. The two people who signed up for that first game seemed to enjoy themselves. At least, they said they did. But they could just be saying that to be nice. I really don’t know.

Regardless, I feel like running a game might not be something I am capable of.

Like this:

As the days in October tick closer to Halloween, you, and some friends, may be looking to get into the spirit of the season with a few games to play. Here are five that I think are perfect for the season.

Growing up, I was captivated by role-playing games. The very idea of slipping into another character in a different world was fascinating. From my first introduction to Dungeons and Dragons, I began to explore the other RPGs that were out there, looking for new worlds to explore.

Alas, I lived in a neighborhood where there just were not a lot of kids my age, and even fewer wanted to play RPGs. I barely had a chance to play D&D, let alone the other games out there that I wanted to try so badly.

I like role playing games, as you may have gathered from past blog posts. I like them because they are (usually) designed to stimulate the imagination, allowing the players to create their own story while having a little fun along the way.

Granted, I never really got a lot of chance to play many role playing games (or, RPGs if you will). Growing up, I lived in a neighborhood without a lot of kids my age, even fewer who were into role playing games. But I liked reading about the rules, the character generation, the game play. And, over the years, I have read about a lot of different games, from way back when to the present day.

What sparked me to think about this is my completion of the rule book for the latest RPG set in the Marvel universe, Marvel Heroic Roleplaying Basic Game, and how the word “basic” in the title is highly misleading.

One of the things I liked about the first Marvel Super Heroes Role Playing Game was that it was possible to generate a character completely at random. I often had more fun rolling up new combinations and trying to craft the character from that. It is something that has been missing in a lot of the games that have followed.

Thus comes the challenge. I rolled up a random set of abilities and powers. If you are interested in the challenge, create a character from the powers that follow.

A while ago, I posted how I missed the old Marvel Super Heroes Role Playing Game, along with a random roll-up of a character. At that time, I said I would post what I came up with myself. Here is what I came up with.

Way back in the day, I remember checking out the old Marvel Super Heroes role-playing game. I never really got a chance to play it, since I never really had many friends who were into role-playing games of any kind, let alone the Marvel game. But I liked it, and definitely prefer it over the other super hero role-playing games that were out at that time, or have come out since.